The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) is still in pursuit of 17-year-old Carlos Taylor, who made his escape from the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center on September 23, during a detention hearing. According to WGNO, the NOPD has put its Violent Offender Warrant Squad to work as part of a larger dragnet. NOPD Chief Deputy Superintendent Hans Ganthier expressed his confidence to the media, "We are confident in our ability to find wanted offenders and escapees especially," he said.
Despite strict legislation demanding an immediate release of information on escapes, which was reportedly not upheld, NOPD's delay in announcing Taylor's escape has raised concerns within the local community. Residents voiced frustrations over the lapse, resulting in potential risks in their neighborhood. Dichelle Williams, the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, told WGNO, "It was not a disrespect or disregard of the law. It was just trying to apprehend a youth that had just got out of the facility while also trying to maintain internal order, policy and procedure and give account for all other youth in the facility."
The way in which Taylor made his getaway was by bolting from the court before leg restraints could be put on him, an incident that WDSU reported. The subsequent events included Taylor allegedly crossing I-610 and carjacking a woman, leaving her vehicle damaged in New Orleans East. NOPD faced criticism for the lapse in releasing information, taking two hours to make Taylor's name and photo public.
As to the issue of juvenile restraints in court, the current state law forbids their use, which has stirred debate in the wake of Taylor's escape. New Orleans City Councilman Eugene Green, without getting into specifics about the escape, underscored the importance of adherence to the law in a statement captured by FOX 8 Live, "It exists for a reason and not only that, it was debated and the public was involved with it," Green said. "I want the law to be followed relative to notices." The NOPD continues their search, reaching out to the community for assistance in locating the escaped juvenile.
